Published 3:00 am, Saturday, February 26, 2011

SANFORD -- The Meridian girls' basketball team wrapped up second place in the Jack Pine Conference with a 62-34 conference win over visiting Houghton Lake on Friday.

"I knew we were going to be pretty good this year," said Mustangs' coach Andy LaFave. "I was unsure where we would finish, but wanted to be in the top three. And we finished second to unbeaten Clare."

Taylor Smith led the Mustangs with 24 points while Kristen Goodall added 14. Alexus Reiss had eight points for the Mustangs, who improve to 16-4 overall and 12-2 in the JPC.

Meridian jumped out to a 20-8 lead and led 31-19 at the half.

"We played 29 minutes of good ball," said LaFave. "The last three minutes of the first half, we sort of fell asleep."

In the third quarter, a 23-9 advantage gave Meridian a 54-28 lead heading into the fourth.

In a second-round Class C district game on Wednesday at Saginaw Nouvel, the Mustangs play the winner of Monday's St. Charles/Nouvel game.

Hemlock 42, Shepherd 30

SHEPHERD -- Karli Herrington scored 15 points and Hemlock wrapped up a perfect 14-0 season in the Tri-Valley Conference Central on Friday with a 42-30 win over Shepherd in girls' basketball.

Peyton Apsey added 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals, and Shelby Herrington scored seven points for the Huskies, who finish the regular season 17-3 overall.

"Champions of the world," Hemlock coach Brandon Kalina said of his team going undefeated in conference play. "From what we've seen, it has never happened (before at Hemlock) in boys' or girls' (basketball)."

The Huskies led 21-10 at halftime.

Lauren Snyder scored 14 points for the Bluejays.

Hemlock will play the winner of Monday's Class B district opener between Alma and Chippewa Hills on Wednesday at Bullock Creek.

"If we play to our potential, we're possibly looking at our first district title in a while, since about 2004," Kalina said.

"This is the third game in a row where we had the discipline and sustained it for the entire game," Creek coach Justin Freeland said "We've been searching for that all year, and we're kind of locked in at the right time."

The Lancers finish the regular season at 11-9 overall and 6-8 in the TVC. Bullock Creek will host Freeland on Monday in Class B district tournament play.

On Friday, the score was tied 10-10 after the first quarter before Jankoska hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter, and the Falcons outscored the Indians 26-12 in the period to take a 36-22 lead into halftime.

Tara Padgett added nine points for Freeland, while Emily Hardy had six points and seven rebounds, Kaleigh Theriault five steals, and Paige Brown seven points and six rebounds.

The Falcons end the regular season at 14-6 overall and 11-3 in the TVC Central. Freeland opens up Class B district play on Monday with a 6 p.m. game against host Bullock Creek, a team the Falcons have beaten twice this season.

"It's tough to beat a team three times in a season," said Zolinski. "They played us tough a week ago (a 65-59 Freeland win), and they should be fired up playing in their own gym."

Faith Baptist 48, Calvary Baptist 30

DAVISON -- Calvary Baptist Academy went scoreless in the first eight minutes of Friday night's Michigan Association of Christian Schools tournament game, and couldn't recover in a 48-30 loss to Faith Baptist of Davison.

"It was like we were in a fog," said CBA coach Dan Matson , whose team trailed 16-0 after the first quarter. "We were kind of half speed and didn't seem to be all there. I don't know if it was our inexperience or nerves."

The Kings played Faith pretty much even the rest of the way. Faith led 22-12 at the half and 33-20 after three quarters.

The Flying G's, who snapped a five-game losing streak, led 14-9 after one quarter, but the Bucks rallied to tie it at 20-20 by halftime. Gladwin took a 35-31 lead into the fourth, then pulled away from there.

"I'm tickled pink," Gladwin coach Emily Coté said. "It's a good way to end the season and get ready for districts."

Gladwin (11-8, 9-5 in the JPC) hosts Pinconning on Monday in Class B district tournament play.

The Beavers, who also got nine points and 10 boards from Janae Wolfe, led 14-3 after one quarter, 20-15 at the half and 30-19 after three quarters.

"We had a great start, but Harrison did everything they could in that second quarter to win," Beaverton coach John Engler said. "They were playing very tough for a winless team. It was our wake-up call, and in the second half, we played very well, got some steals and left no doubts."

Beaverton (8-11, 5-9 in the JPC) plays at Coleman Monday in a Class C district tournament opener.

MLS 45, Breckenridge 42

BRECKENRIDGE -- Breckenridge got off to a good start Friday night but could not finish in a 45-42 Tri Valley Conference West girls' basketball loss to Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

"We got off to a real good start, but the pressure got to us in the fourth quarter," Breckenridge coach Lacie Shelley said. "We had some turnovers that led to easy baskets. They just beat us to the finish."

Breckenridge led 9-1 after one quarter, 24-16 at the half and 35-28 after three quarters.

Aubree Jenkins led the Huskies with 10 points and Emily Cross added nine.

Faith Schroeder led MLS with 14 points.

Breckenridge (5-15, 3-11 in the TVC) hosts Merrill in Class C district basketball action on Monday.